Functional Diversity and Microbial Activity of Forest Soils that Are Heavily Contaminated by Lead and Zinc

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of metal contamination on microbial functional diversity and enzyme activity in forest soils. This study involved the evaluation of the influence of the texture, carbon content and distance to the source of contamination on the change in soil microbial activity, which did not investigate in previous studies. The study area is located in southern Poland near the city of Olkusz around the flotation sedimentation pond of lead and zinc at the Mining and Metallurgical Company “ZGH Bolesław, Inc.”. The central point of the study area was selected as the middle part of the sedimentation pond. The experiment was conducted over a regular 500 × 500-m grid, where 33 sampling points were established. Contents of organic carbon and trace elements (Zn, Pb and Cd), pH and soil texture were investigated. The study included the determination of dehydrogenase and urease activities and microbial functional diversity evaluation based on the community-level physiological profiling approach by Biolog EcoPlate. The greatest reduction in the dehydrogenase and urease activities was observed in light sandy soils with Zn content >220 mg · kg−1 and a Pb content > 100 mg · kg−1. Soils with a higher concentration of fine fraction, despite having the greatest concentrations of metals, were characterized by high rates of Biolog®-derived parameters and a lower reduction of enzyme activity.